Bond of Guardians
by Flyerec
Summary: Oot Story. Navi and Sheik discover that they have more in common then one might think.


Nintendo owns Zelda and not me.

Bond of Guardians.

"We will _not_ be doing that again." Link said. The rolling hills of Hyrule Field racing by them as the hero of time and his fairy companion rode to Kakariko Village. The steady beat of Epona's hoofs on the ground rhythmic to the beat of Link's heart.

"Don't blame me. It was your idea to jump the gorge." Navi complained.

"Uh excuse me? I distinctly remember you saying 'quick Link, jump the gorge, it's our only chance!'"

"Well, I didn't think you were actually going to do it."

"You're my guardian fairy! You're supposed to give me _helpful _advice."

"I am helpful!" Navi said indignantly.

The pair rounded a stone wall long past its glory days and headed towards Zora River. The setting sun sent rays of brilliance across the horizon, highlighting the silhouette of Lon Lon Range.

"I feel like I'm going to be wet for the next week." Link muttered.

"Poor you. If I'm such a bother I'll just leave then." Navi muttered, flying with ease alongside Link.

"Oh relax. You're such a drama queen."

"I'm not the one complaining every time I get wet." The fairy insisted, landing on Link's shoulder.

"Look, I just don't like being wet okay? Is that so bad? All I heard in the Fire Temple was 'oh this is so hot…' am I not allowed to have one character flaw?"

Navi didn't answer. Instead she lifted off from Link's shoulder and flew a few feet into the air and hovered there, gazing into the distance. Brining Epona to a halt, he was about to ask her what was wrong but she silenced him with a quick look.

They argued often, but they had learned to trust each other's sense for danger. All thoughts of verbal jousting gone, Link brought Epona around and trotted her towards Navi. A look of concern was etching across his features.

The fairy was starring off towards Death Mountain. Or at least Link thought she was.

"What is it?" He finally asked, all humor gone from his voice.

"Something is wrong." She began, "very wrong."

"The mountain?" Had something happened to the Goron's? Again? Had Ganondorf sent another monster to terrorize the rock eaters?

"No…oh by the Goddesses…"

"Navi! What is it?" The fairy clutched her hands to her chest; her small wings slowed their beat. She began to fall through the air like a leaf.

Link urged Epona forward with a nudge and outstretched his hands. The fairy landed in his open palms as if she was unaware she had fell. Holding her like a delicate flower he brought her close to him.

"Navi." He said softly. "What is it?"

"Oh Link, it's Kakariko. Something horrible has happened." She closed her eyes. "I could feel them die…"

Link felt his face flush with anger. What has Ganondorf done to those innocent people? They've done nothing to provoke him. He had to concentrate on not bunching his fists together in his rage, less he harm the fairy.

"How bad? What are we going to be facing." His voice was resolute.

"Three or four people, gone. Something powerful, the village is on fire. And…oh my…Link you have to hurry!" Suddenly she burst up, wings fluttering like mad. Link hesitated only for a second. He wrapped his hands in Epona's reins and directed the horse towards the village. Nudging his heels into the horse's flanks they were off. Navi circled them and landed along Link's shoulder.

"I just hope we're not too late." She murmured.

Link didn't have time to nod. He was urging Epona with all his skill. The sight of the smoke rising over the trees gave him all the incentive he needed.

Epona's wild pace took them over the bridge and past the river, Link could smell the smoke. They darted for the stone steps that led through the woods towards the ancient village.

"By the Goddesses…" Link breathed. He could see the windmill, is ceaseless motion now halted, fire burned hotly across a number of houses. Broken windows and shattered trees dotted the landscape. The ground rumbled as if hungry for more death. Link spotted a few bodies lying sprawled on the ground. Some were burned beyond recognition.

"It's coming from the well." Navi moaned. She was flying around Link, her panic stricken voice sent shivers down his spine. He had never heard Navi speak like that.

Then, ahead, standing resolutely before the well, was Sheik. Whatever it was, Link could sense it too, it was going to burst through the old brick and motor fount and come flying out. Sheik would be consumed. Without thinking, Link surged to the Sheikah' side.

"Get back Link!" Sheik shouted. Before Link could respond a deep sub-terranian rumble came barreling out of the well. There was a loud crash and the wooden posts over the well exploded outwards, crashing against the roof of a nearby burning house.

"Link!" Navi shouted, he turned and stared in horror at what the fairy was pointing at. The house to the south of the village was burning hotly, the side door burst open and two charred villagers fled out to safety; however, one wasn't so lucky. A man engulfed in flames came charging out screaming and flaying his arms as he ran. The villagers around him were too panicked to do anything. Hesitating only out of concern for Sheik, Link turned and ran with all his speed to the burning man. He jumped up and grabbed handfuls of grass in each fist and pulled himself over the rise in the land. Once upon his feet again he pulled out his Goron tunic and ran towards the man. Without pausing he leaped and tackled him. Using the red fire-proof tunic as a suppressing blanket he rapidly covered the man snuffing out the flames. Even though the tunic was fire proof every time the man moved his arms or Link rolled him, flames shot up from underneath him and scorched Link's knees.

Gritting his teeth against the pain he moved his hands and legs, he move the tunic about, over the mans head and hair, his arms and body, he used his legs to roll the man so he put out the flames on his back.

It took only a few seconds for Link to put the fire out, but in those few seconds the man still suffered heavy burns. Panting Link stood up, his arms, hands, and legs were scorched from the fire. The man's family members ran up to him sobbing their thanks. Link grimaced; he may have only saved the man a fiery death. The burns still looked fatal. Suddenly he remembered Sheik. Dropping the tunic he whirled for the well.

"Link hurry!" Navi urged. When he jumped down and ran back towards the well in the center of town Link understood Navi's anxiety first hand. Sheik was standing before the well, the outer walls of the well had had caved in, large gashes in the ground were swelling with dark energy. The Sheikah's muscles tensed, he took a stride forward, the air between the well and the shadow man seemed to charge with intensity.

Suddenly, it all happed faster than Link could comprehend. A force emerged from the well; it was so potent that Link felt a heavy weight settle on his shoulders the second it appeared. Whatever it was, it was invisible, yet its presence was clear not from sight but rather the intangible power it emanated.

"No…" Navi breathed. With the swiftness of a snake, Sheik leaped forward, striking with a devastating kick. But from Link and Navi's point of view, the Sheikah's leap was into a vast web of nothing. He turned and flipped in the air as if his feet were being pushed from the earth. He dangled, helpless for only a second. A massive invisible fist slammed into the shadow man with unimaginable ferocity. Wincing Link wanted to charge into battle, but Navi's panic held him back. Somehow, the Sheikah still struggled after that devastating blow, he kick in the air, threw rapid punches that made Link marvel at his speed. Even as he was flipped and tossed in the air like a toy, he fought. But it wasn't enough. Massive blows struck the warrior, a hit to the chest sent him streaking towards the ground, before he could land a lancing kick of invisible air sent him rocketing to the side. Even as his momentum carried him off to the left, a blow centered in his lower back lifted like a broken doll into the air. A dark flash erupted from the battle and Sheik was tossed like a cork into the air, sailing over Link and Navi, landing with a heavy thud into the ground.

His face set with determination, Link charged forward. Drawing out the Master Sword, he braced himself behind his shield. A dozen paces in front of the sprawled Sheikah, Link prepared to buttress against whatever came from the well. Navi watched as a wild dark blue wave erupted out like angry hornets. It buzzed in the air with fevered rage before swarming around the village. It crawled on the roofs of buildings heedless of the fire. Shingles were torn from the homes as it trailed a path of destruction. But, soon it turned and brought it's madness upon the green glad hero.

Navi watched in horror as it charged towards him, it was all happening so fast, yet to the fairy it was proceeding in slow motion. "Nooo…" moaned Sheik. But it was too late. The beast catapulted into Link. It lifted him as though he was weightless; it tossed him through the air, hammering him with brutal blows of invisible force. The swarm of energy attacked him like a swarm of insects. Somehow, Link was able to get enough control over his motion to swing the Master Sword at his attacker. His target was mostly invisible. The swarm spread away from the sword like fish fleeing a hungry bear. But he hit something. A great wail rose up from the village. Link had hurt it. With a frustration and rage that was palpable in the very air. It dropped Link abruptly and vanished towards the east.

Link fell from the air a dead weight. Landing with a thud the Master Sword went flying from his hands and impaled itself in the ground some scant meters from Link. He did not move.

Navi was by his side in a moment. Her heart pounding she reached out with her senses and probed him. She released a great sigh of release when she found him only suffering mild injuries.

"He's unconscious." She turned and watched Sheik approach with a slight limp. He paused and pulled out his harp. Lifting it, he began to play the Song of Storms. Clouds gathered above the village as his hands stopped plucking the strings. Moments later, rain fell from the sky, squelching the flames across the village. "My apologies, I should have warned him. I've failed Kakariko and Impa, now I've failed Link."

"No you haven't." Navi started, glancing over, "you've done more than I thought possible, Princess."

Navi didn't spare a glance from Link as Zelda gazed sharply at the fairy. She sighed.

"I guess if I truly am a failure, if I couldn't hide my identity from you, then Ganondorf surely knows who I am." Zelda said softly. She had dropped the magically augmented voice. She once again sounded like woman.

"No, Princess." Navi said; she flew over towards the disguised Zelda. "I didn't even realize it was you until…when I was with Link heading towards town. I sensed you confronting the demon."

Zelda nodded. "I was foolish. I panicked; I drew on my powers as a Sage."

"Once I recognized the touch of a Sage, I realized it was you. I could sense the mark of the Triforce in you." Navi said.

"What have I done? The Demon King will have realized that as well." Hyrule's exiled Princess said.

"Don't count on it. Ganondorf is blind with power. He has no idea what we're doing. If he did, he send every last monster in all of Hyrule after us." Navi stated.

Zelda glanced at her, worry written on her face.

"Princess, power has corrupted his ability to reason. He can't imagine that someone would try to imprison him like we are. The only threat he can see right now is someone directly attacking him. It's the only way to explain why he's left us alone."

"Perhaps you are right. Every time I see him…" She nodded at Link. "I want to tell him who I am. I want to help him."

"Princess…" Navi began.

"No, I know. If I'm discovered, we all lose." She paused. Reaching out, her hand hovered over Link's face. Slowly it fell away. "Does…does he ever talk about me?"

Navi smiled. "Princess, he talks of nothing _but_ you. He's worried about you. He wants to help you." Zelda turned away.

"I…"

"He trusts you."

Navi glanced down at him. Wind rustled his hair and the rain slowed. Zelda glanced at the Master Sword. "You won't tell him, will you?"

"No." She said after a while.

"The truth should come from me." The Princess said.

"I know."

"When the time is right. I can't risk it now."

"I know."

"You'll look after him?" She asked. She was on her knees next to him, staring deeply into his passive features.

"I have to. I'm his guardian fairy. I…love him." Navi said.

"The demon that escaped. It's very dangerous. He'll need your help." Zelda murmured.

"It's escaped to the Temple of Shadow, hasn't it?"

"Yes. Amazingly that place is almost untouched by Ganondorf's evil. So much of it comes from us. The people of Hyrule."

"We'll be careful."

"Navi?"

"Yes Princess?" Zelda paused before she responded.

"You think we're doing the right thing?" Navi turned and glanced at Zelda.

"Princess, I know this is hard. But it's our only chance to destroy the evil gripping Hyrule."

"All this was my fault. I never should have underestimated Ganondorf." She turned and stared at the Master Sword. "All those years. I was waiting for him. I almost gave up hope. There was a time, I didn't think I could live with what I had done. If Impa hadn't been there to help me…"

"It's not over yet. He hasn't won yet. He won't."

"I know. Link's lucky to have you." She said.

"And you." Navi nodded, "He trusts Sheik, and he knows Sheik is trying to help too."

"It's so hard to see him and not be able to tell how much I've missed him or how sorry I am he's involved."

"That's our problem, Princess." Navi began, "as guardians, we want to protect and shelter our charge, but that's not how it works, is it? We have to watch. We have to watch him fight and battle and risk his life. It's not our place to keep him from danger or protect him from the world. We have to let him face his destiny."

They were silent for a long moment.

"It may sound like a strange thing to say, but I'm glad we had this opportunity to talk, Navi." Zelda murmured.

"I as well Princess." The fairy answered.

Link began to stir, as the rain finally stopped. The wind died down and the people of Kakariko wandered the village surveying the damage.

"I must return to my alter-ego. I have much to tell Link. This creature must be stopped." Zelda began. She stood up, the woman Navi had just spoken with vanished. She was now Zelda the leader. Her voice held command, urgency, and yes even confidence. "We must save Impa." Now it was no longer Zelda's voice at all. Sheik was back.

Navi glanced down at Link as his eyes blinked open. Taking a deep breath he slowly sat up.

"Ugh, how long was I out?" he groaned.

"A few moments. You okay?" Navi pressed, she already knew he was fine.

"Yeah," He slowly rose to his feet, when he realized that Sheik was still present, watching him through those red eyes. Link dusted himself off, noticed the Master Sword sheathed in the ground, walked over and reclaimed it. He turned back to the Sheikah. "The village?"

"I'll take care of it. Link, the creature that was released…"

Navi tuned the rest of the conversation out. She watched Sheik inform Link of the situation and teach him the song that will guide him to the Temple of Shadow. As she watched Zelda who both a guardian and leader, something stirred in her heart. Between these two, victory would be achieved. She was sure of it. But after that, what then? She had told Zelda the truth, being a guardian meant being on the outside, she could only watch and guide. Yet, she had never doubted that after the Hyrule was saved she would continue guiding Link. But now…could she be certain. Zelda had shown her something today, Link would not be alone he would have the help and support of others.

"Navi!" Link called. He was already heading for the graveyard. She glanced back and gave Sheik one final look.

"Coming." She called to Link. She must have had an odd expression because Link raised an eyebrow when she landed on his shoulder.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good." He said. "You know, I couldn't do this with out you, you know that right? We're a team."

Navi smiled with a hint of sadness. "Yes, I know." She said, underneath it though, she began to wonder.


End file.
